2005 UF1 World Championship
Background Coming into 2005, there were plenty of changes coming to F1. Tyre rules were changed and aerodynamic regulations affected the looks and performance of the cars greatly, leading to a lot of changes in the grid. Entry List Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro (ITA): '''Michael Schumacher (GER), Mark Webber (AUS) '''Panasonic Jaguar Racing (GBR): '''Fernando Alonso (ESP), Jenson Button (GBR) '''BMW F1 Team (GER): '''Juan Pablo Montoya (COL), Jarno Trulli (ITA) '''Irn Bru McLaren Mercedes (GBR): '''Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA), Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) '''Red Bull Racing (AUT): '''Felipe Massa (BRA), Lewis Hamilton (GBR) '''Raghunathan Minardi Racing (ITA): '''David Coulthard (GBR), Takuma Sato (JAP) '''Audi Sport Durex F1 Team (GER): '''Kimi Raikkonen (FIN), Nick Heidfeld (GER) '''JPS Auraline-Lotus Racing (ICE): '''Mika Hakkinen (FIN), Bernd Schneider (GER) '''Competent Grand Prix (GBR): '''Carlos Sainz Sr. (ESP), Sebastian Vettel (GER) '''Monster Energy Gardiner GP (GBR): '''Gary Paffett (GBR), Tiago Monteiro (POR) Teams '''Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro After winning both championships dominantly in 2004, Ferrari launch into 2005 confident of mastering the regulation changes. They retain their star driver Michael Schumacher off the back of winning five championships together with him, but also bring in rising star Mark Webber from Jaguar to partner him, replacing the outgoing Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. The team come in to 2005 expecting a continuation of this amazing form. The team is based in Maranello, Italy. Panasonic Jaguar Racing Coming in to the 2005 season, two teams, Jaguar and Renault, have merged their F1 teams to enter under one single entity, Panasonic Jaguar Racing. Jaguar comes with a fresh look, doing away with their renowned green and white colour scheme to be replaced with a futuristic black and light blue palette. The team line up with 2004 Renault driver Fernando Alonso while bringing in BAR's Jenson Button - one of the youngest but most exciting lineups for 2005. The team expects to be challenging for championships, carrying forward Renault's upward momentum from 2004. The team is based in Grove, Oxfordshire, UK. BMW F1 Team After a lot of success dipping their toes in F1 with an engine partnership with the legendary Williams team, BMW completed a full buyout of the team in the last days of 2004. Their drivers for this season are their 2004 lead driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who partners 31-year-old Italian Jarno Trulli, who was out of a seat after the merger of Renault and Jaguar. BMW look to pour more funding into the team, and will be hoping to challenge for the title after racewinning form in 2003 and 2004. The team is based in Dusseldorf, Germany Irn Bru McLaren Mercedes Being one of the most successful teams in F1 history, McLaren head into the 2005 season with a new look and a all new driver line-up. The team's now classic West silver colours are gone after the cigarette company withrew due to performance, and have been replaced by the familiar orange of title sponsor Irn Bru. After a disappointing 2004 season, that saw the team lose star driver Kimi Raikkonen to Audi and David Coulthard to Raghunathan Minardi, two new drivers were brought in: Giancarlo Fisichella moved from the Sauber team and 11 time race winner Rubens Barrichello was drafted from Ferrari. The team is based in Woking, Surrey, UK. Red Bull Racing Having bought out Jaguar's original entry into F1, this is the Austrian-based energy drinks company's first season in Formula One. This team boasts the line up of Felipe Massa, and an unknown 20 year old by the name of Lewis Hamilton - this team with its unusual driver pairing will be a fascinating watch as we watch how the financially well-backed team get on. Expect a fierce rivalry to form with Monster Energy GP. The team principal has been quoted as saying that he hopes they can challenge for wins this season. The team is based in Salzburg, Austria. 'Raghunathan Minardi Racing' Lovable minnows Minardi spent much of 2004 struggling to stay afloat, but a new buyout from the extremely rich Raghunathan family should help them to survive as more funding is injected into the team. The Italian independents bring in David Coulthard after the Scot was fired by McLaren, alongside rising Japanese star Takuma Sato from the bought-out BAR (now Audi) team. This is a strong lineup which should help the team to stay afloat in 2005. The team is based in Faenza, Italy. Audi Sport Durex F1 Team bought out BAR innit JPS Auraline-Lotus Ford A completely new team for 2005, Auraline-Lotus Ford is well funded by both Lotus and Ford in a collaborative F1 project, working with an Icelandic engineering group named Auraline.Ford racing team would suck auraline off. Mika Hakkinen makes a much-heralded return from his three-season sabbatical while 41-year-old DTM legend Bernd Schneider partners him in what has been a much-questioned choice of drivers. The team is well funded and is expecting to gain knowledge from the experience of their driver pairing and will use this season as a foundation for a strong 2006. The team is based in Reykjavik, Iceland. Competent Grand Prix emma made new team innit.is the mum of the gc.would suck her off Monster Energy Gardiner GP Kettering billionaire Will Gardiner bought out a struggling Jordan in January 2005, becoming a new entry into F1. Gardiner GP is currently constructing a new factory in Northamptonshire. The team has chosen a rookie driver line up of two young prospects: Gary Paffett and Tiago Montiero. The owner is very eccentric as well as very wealthy - his vast financial backing, sponsorship from Monster Energy and Mercedes engines means they are the underdog team to watch in 2005, expecting to pick up consistent points. The team is based in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England.